Wednesday, December 7, 2022

I might be having a moment

 I've been at work (both at school and at the easel) because, even though things are crazy busy,  I have a show opening to be ready for on January 9th, so this is no time to snooze. I do have something to post, or will soon. However, I've run into a snag that I will have to resolve before I share my new painting.

     All semester, I've bumped into articles about A.I. apps like DALL-E and others that will create art for you based on verbal prompts. This means that anyone who can string some words together can access the skill to make an image that illustrates those words. The image is compiled by the app's access to images that are part of art history as well as popular culture, the news and whatever other source of images it can access. It is my understanding that DALL-E and similar apps are limited by programming with a standard of ethics, so that images not in the public domain would be inaccessible to them. So far so good.

   But now, I've heard of a new app called Lensa that has not had the proper upbringing, and it considers any image on the internet fair game and gives no credit to the originator of the material. 

   I have always wanted to share my work and information, because that's what art is about. Sharing is one of the ways we grow. But, geez. If my work is going to be scattered to the winds and diluted by all the other work that is available to the apps, then I'm not sure I want to join the party. I have to decide about it before I share more work.

   I have a feeling that A.I. art will change everything, whether individual artists want it to or not.